Improvement in apparatus for shuffling cards



f NTTEE STATEs PATENT GEETQE.

HENRY O. ASH, OF 315 OXFORD STREET, MIDDLESEX COUNTY, EGLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR SHUFIQ'VLIN'G CARDS.

Specification forming partof LettersrPatentNo. 205,030, dated June 1B, 1878; application filed May 8,-1878; patented in England, December 27, 1877.

To all whom it may concern: l

Be it `known that I, HENRY CLARKE Asn, of 315 Oxford street, inthe county of Middlesex, England, vhave invented new and useful Apparatusior ShulingGardsvhichisfullyde scribed in the following' specification, referent e being had to the accompanyingdrawings.

This invention has for its object to construct apparatus for shuffling cards. For this purpose I employ a box or case with an open top, through which a pack of 'cards can be introduced endwise. Project-inginward from about the center of one of the ends of the case `is a comb or grating ot` pins.

To shuttle a pack of cards by means of the aboveapparatus, the pack of cards is introducedendwise into the open top of the case, so that they rest on the grating, and one or two lighty shakes are given to tle case. Onelialf or thereabout ot the'cards drop down through the openings between the pins of the grating, while the other half .of the cards will remain resting on them and with their upper ends projecting above the top of the case. These cards are now taken hold of all together and removed from the case and set down. The

remaining cards are then likewise lifted all together out of the case and placed on the top of the other cards. The lower portion of the box or case is made open at the ends, so that the cards which drop through the grating may beheld in one hand, while .the cards which remain above the grating are taken hold of and removed by the other hand. j

A slide or gage moving transversely upon one end of the case serves to regulate the vother cards by means of the grating.

Ais the box or case, open at the top. B is the comb or grating of pins, carried by a metal plate, which is secured to one yend of the box, as shown. If desired, a similar grating might be carried by the opposite end of the box.' I prefer, however,to employa single grating, as shown in the drawings. G (J are the openings'at the lower part of thecnds pf the box, to allow of those cards which have dropped down through the openings in `the grating being taken hold. of and retained,

while the other cards, which remain above the grating, are removed from the boxor case.v When the cards which are above the grating have been removed'alid ,laid down, the other cards can be taken hold ofat their upper ends and all removed together and laid down upon the upper-cards, and the shufing of the pack of cards be thereby completed.

The upper parts of the two sides of the box or case are hollowed downward, as shown at D D,to allowof the cards which have dropped down through the grating being thus taken hold of to remove them.

Eis the slide to adj ust the case to the thickness of' the pack. It is shown as formed of a bent or bow-shaped Wire projecting into the case and secured at its ends to guide-clips or flanged plates F F, embracing the edges of one endof the case at top and bottom. This slide may he adjusted so as to regulate, as desired, the width of the space between it and that side of' the case next which the pack is placed, so that packs ot' dilierent numbers' or varying thicknesses may be snugly adjusted in the case.` 4

By using apparatus such as above described for shuffling packs of cards, the shuiiug of the'cardscan' be eii'ected'far more perfectly andin less time than when the cards are shufied by hand in the ordinary manner.

Having thus described the nature of myi11' vention and the manner of performing the same, I would state thatthe form of the box or oase maybe considerably varied, and that other ways of carrying the grating and the slide in the interior of the case may be adopted, as alsothat the number andsizc of the pinsY forming the grating may be varied;

1. An apparatus for shuflingpacks of cards .consisting of abox or case to receive the cards provided with an internal grating or gratings, by means of which one-half of the cards or thereabout can be separated from among the others, substantially as hereinbefore set forth;

2. A card-shuing b'oX or case open at top7 provided with a grating to separate thecards,

4. The combinatiou, with the card-sliuiirig oasegof` an adjusting-slide to vary the width and made open at its lower part, substantially of the,i'zardls;iacef4 substantially as Ahereinbeas and for the purpose hereiubefore set forth.

3. Thehereinbefore-described card-shuiing apparatus, consisting of a box or case having an open `top hollowed or out away at its sides at top, having openings at its lower part, and provided with a card-separating comb or grating.

fore seltfortb:

v HENRY CLARKE ASH. Witriessest i A 1 GHAS. BERKLEY HARRIS, 17 Gracechurch street, London. JOHN DEA1-;,`

17 'Grac'echurch street, London. 

